​With today’s busy, fast-paced, and demanding schedules, everybody needs a break to help regain balance in order to function at their best. We can get so caught up in juggling work obligations, home obligations, family and significant other time, and even time for friendships and social events, that we end up forgetting about the obligation that we have to ourselves. On your list of priorities, where do you fall? Are you even on your list? If you are not on the list, or are very low on the list, it’s time to re-evaluate your priorities and start making you a priority.

When you make you a priority, it is not selfish, it’s a necessity. Valuing yourself and your time is important. When you start to make you a priority, you will find that you are happier, healthier, more productive, and feel more accomplished in life. If you take care of you, you can then be more ready and able to help take care of others. Just like the airline flight attendants always tell us, when the oxygen masks drop, first put the mask on yourself before you help others with their masks. The priority is you. If you do not take care of yourself first, you are not much help to others around you.

In order to make you a priority, you need to start with some basics:​

Don’t feel guilty about saying “no” from time to time. Sometimes we find that we are overstretched or doing things to please others that we really do not enjoy doing. If you are overworked, overwhelmed, or simply are not happy doing something, it may be in your best interest to say no and relieve yourself of unnecessary obligations that do not benefit you. It’s not about letting other’s down, it’s about building you up.

Do what’s in your best interest. Whether it is your diet, exercise, sleep habits, or creative outlets, make sure you are getting in what you need to function at your best. If you fuel yourself with plenty of sleep, healthy foods, exercise, down time, etc., you will find that you feel better, have more energy, and enjoy your life a little bit more.

Designate “me” time into your schedule. Add at least 15 minutes every day for you. Whether that is to meditate, go for a walk, read a book, work on an art project, or enjoy a cup of coffee in silence. Make it a regular part of your daily routine.

Treat yourself to some self-care and make it a ritual. This goes along with the designating “me” time. Set aside specific times to work out. Find a fitness activity that excites you and makes you feel good. Whether that is lifting weights, running, dancing, playing on a sports team, or swimming. Designate a few times each week to some physical activity. Schedule yourself weekly or monthly mandatory “I deserve this” time. You might go for a walk or hike every weekend to calm your mind and reward yourself for a long work week. Schedule regular massages to calm your mind and to relax and soothe out sore and tense muscles. Buy a new outfit, shoes, etc. for yourself, or meet up with friends for a few laughs and a drink every month. Whatever makes you feel good, make it a habit to set up regular set times to take care of yourself and to show yourself some appreciation

Commit to making you a priority. The “C” word can be intimidating to some people, but if you do not take care of yourself, who will? You need to set your priorities and make you a necessary item on your long list of things to do. You get 24 hours in a day, you can manage to set aside at least 1 hour for you. If you need to reorganize, shift tasks to another day, or maybe even delegate responsibilities to others to free up some you time, then do so. Life is not about being perfect, it is about balance. You need to commit to balancing your life to fit your needs.​

Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup. You need to replenish yourself, before you can give more. You need to make you a priority and take care of yourself in order to regain balance and function at your best.

Massage therapy has been long known for its relaxing effects on the body and mind, as well as the fact that massages simply feel good. With these notions, massage has been viewed as a service for pampering and luxury for many years in Western civilizations. If you take a look at massage therapy from an Eastern standpoint, you may discover that massage has been long viewed as therapeutic, healing, and a way of bringing an overall balance and harmony to a person’s body and health. Regardless if you get massages for relaxation or for therapeutic reasons, the concept for receiving massages are the same; it does a body good.

There are many reasons why receiving massages are beneficial to add to your healthcare routine. Here are some common benefits of receiving regular massages:

Relieves stress levels

Relaxes tense muscles

Alleviates headaches

Reduces joint pain

Eases muscle pain

Soothes anxiety and depression

Boosts the immune system

Increase blood circulation and flow

Lowers blood pressure

Increases range of motion and flexibility

Improves quality of sleep

Aids in the injury recovery process

In a consumer survey that was done in 2018 by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), interviewing over 1,000 adults in the U.S., 88 percent said that they found massage to be beneficial to their overall health and wellness. The survey also reported:

As few as 28 percent of individuals believe massage therapy is only a form of pampering. In the previous 12 months, 20 percent of massage consumers received their last massage at a spa compared to 23 percent in 2017.

70 percent of consumers agree that massage therapy should be considered a form of health care.

85 percent of consumers have used massage for medical reasons.

31 percent of consumers have used massage as a form of pain relief.

34 percent have considered massage therapy as an alternative to opioids or other prescription pain relievers.

Whether you get regular massages as a form of health maintenance, pain management, stress management, to improve your overall quality of life, improve your sleeping, to soothe the aches and pains of tired and sore muscles, or to simply relax, you will find that massages, well, really does do a body good!

If you haven’t given massage therapy a try yet, ask around for a recommend therapist and book several appointments. Consistency and regularity are important for maximum effect. Just like working out. The more often and regular you are about going, the greater you will notice the results. If going in every week or every other week is too much for you, try to go at least once a month for several months in a row. See the difference it will make. Your mind and body will thank you for the self-care. Remember, massage, it does a body good!

Author

Courtney
Truax, LMT is a graduate of East West College of the Healing Arts in Portland,
Oregon. She is licensed through the Oregon Board of Massage Therapy and
a member of the American Massage Therapy Association. She has her own studio massage practice in the heart of downtown Lake Oswego, Oregon.